Strand or rope making machine



July 16, 1935. KRAFT STRAND OR ROPE MAKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 1, 1934 2Sheets-Sheet 1 A Kraft r July 16, 1935. KRAFT STRAND OR ROPE MAKINGMACHINE Filed Aug. 1, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 rolling bodies, such asballs or rollers arranged Patented July 16, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE Application August 1, 1934, Serial No. 737,998 In Great BritainMarch 2, 1934 8 Claims. (Cl. 117-16) This invention relates to strand orrope makbent ough a cuved or curves of relatively la e ing machines ofthe kind in which the individual radius. c wires or strands which mayhave been provided The guiding an y in e fect constitute a with abacktwist are led to a flyer by the operap lley the g eat r pr p i n ofthe surfaces of tion of which two twists in the like direction are Whichadapted o contact with the p ccrlsiStS imparted t th b dl of wires orStrands in of bodies free to rotate about axes at right-angles ne: r voltion of th fly r, to the axis of rotation of the pulley.

In the construction of machines described in For instance, the P y ycomprise a D British Specification No. 365,793 the individual rality ofrollers a d torotate about axes 10 wir r t nd are l d together thr ugh tat right-angles to the axis of rotation of the stub journal of the flyerand then in an outward P y and forming in effect the s o e ve directionfrom the axis of rotation of the flyer therein and a plurality ofrollers located up n to a separating plate secured to one end of a theportions o h pulley constituting the a s shaft rotatably mounted in theflyer and then thereofgenerally parallel with the shaft to a second InS0me cases, it y be found c venient to separating plate from which thewires or strands provide the P y With o e cf ers ar- 5 are led in abundle to a guide pulley of relatively ranged concentrically o o eacSide of the small diameter and then in an inward direction y o the p y,t e rollers of the one set toward the axis of the flyer over a secondguide being Staggered ely to t e rollers of the pulley to a, hollowshaft extending througha, other in such manner that the alternatingrollers stub journal of the winding frame which is float- 0f the two sts ove ap sligh y inward thus D ingly mounted in th flyer, viding ineffect a groove in which the bundle of According to the presentinvention the flyer wires or strands will travel. is constructed to leadthe wires or strands as a The guid means y be in the form of a 5 bundlein a forward direction lengthwise of the pu y of the character definedabove of a diflyer to a point remote from the axis thereof and,ameterequal to the distance between the axis for returning the bundle ofwires or strands of rotation of the flye d the farthest point towardsthe axis of the flyer and thence, for infrom the said axis reached by thbundle of stance, to winding mechanism associated therewires or strandsin its passa om one end to with, is provided with guiding means adaptedto the opposite end of the flyer; thus when the bunpermit substantiallyfree twisting motion of the dle of wires or strands is led from adjacentto portion of the bundle of wires or strands which one end of the flyertowards the opposite end of is in contact with it. 'the flyer in a pathparallel with the axis of the In otherwords, in accordance with theinvenflyer, the diameter of the pulley functioning as tion the guidingmeans is adapted to provide a guiding means will be equal to thedistance beminimum of resistance to the travel of the bundle tween theaxis of the flyer and the general line of wires or strands towards thewinding mechaof travel of the bundle of wires or strands in the nism andto the rotation of the bundle of wires direction in question. or strandsabout it axis The particular constructions of guiding means 40 Thus, inaccordance with the invention, the above described in detail are given yWay of eX- 40 guiding means may comprise a combination f ample for, aswill be appreciated, rolling bodies may be associated with suitablesupports in a variety of manners to provide a guide which will affordsubstantially no resistance to the travel of the bundle of wires orstrands while perto oppose the minimum of resistance to the twisting ofthe bundle of wires or strands as it passes t s .mitting" substantiallyfree twisting motion of the 5 The gmdmg means m questlon preferably soportion of the bundle of wires or strands in conformed or arranged thatthe bundle of wires or met with them. strands in its travel toward theWinding meche- The invention will be described further in denism issubjected to a gradual change of 'd tail and by way of example withreference to the 50 'rection.v accompanying drawings, in which:-

Thus, the guiding means in question is adapted Figure 1 illustrates ageneral arrangement of to cause the bundle of wires or strandsin its astrand or rope making machine in accordance travel from the point remotefrom the axis of with the invention,

5 rotation of the flyer towards the said axis to be Figure 2illustrating the means for pretreating the wires or strands in order toprovide them with a backtwist before they are brought together andtreated by the machine illustratedin' Figure 1, and

Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 are fragmentary views of guiding means embodied ina strand or rope making machine in accordance with the invention.

As shown in Figure l, the fiyer is formed of a plurality oflongitudinally arranged members I secured to an end member 2 and afurther end member 3, the latter being provided with a trunnion 4rotatably mounted in bearings 5 and furnished with a sprocket 6 by whichthe ilyer will be rotated.

In addition, the flyer is provided with intermediate members I and 8forming rolling rings bearing on rollers 9 and I0, while the end member2 is arranged to form a rolling ring bearing on rollers II.

The winding frame, of which the body is indicated by the reference I2,is furnished at one end with a hollow stub shaft [3 journalled in a.bearing [4 inthe member 8 and at the other end with a stub shaft I5journalled in a bearing IS in the end member 2 in such manner thatnotwithstanding the rotation of the flyer as a whole the winding framewill retain substantially the position shown in the drawings.

Between the members 3 and 8 there extend a pair of longitudinal membersll, of which only one can be seen, which form a support for the axle 18of the guide pulley IS, the construction of which will be describedhereafter, 20 being a counterweight adapted to balance, when the flieris rotated,- the overhung weight of the guide pulley l9.

On the hollow shaft l3 there is mounted a worm 2| engaging a worm wheel22 secured to a shaft 23 journalled in the body l2 of the winding frameand on the shaft 23 is arranged also a spur wheel 24 in engagement withthe spur wheel 25 on the shaft 26 also journalled in the body I2 of thewinding frame and on this shaft there is provided a pinion 2! meshingwith the spur wheel 28 on the shaft 29 on which is also mounted asprocket 30 driving through the chain 3| a sprocket 32 provided on thespindle 33 on which is removably mounted a drum" 34 on to which thefinished rope or strand is wound in the operation of the machine.

On the spindle 33 there is also mounted a pin,- ion 35 driving throughthe spur wheel 36 a spur wheel 31 mounted on the shaft 38 which servesto impart appropriate traversing motion t0=the guide forks 39 by whichthe turns of the rope are appropriately positioned on the drum. On theend member 2 there is provided a bracket 49 supporting the spindle M ofthe guide pulley 42 over which the bundle of wires or strands are ledfrom the die 43 which is arranged to be rotated from the shaft 45through the intermediary of a chain drive indicated by the reference 46.

This guide pulley is of a construction similar to that of the pulley l9that is to say it is of a character adapted to permit substantially freerotation of the bundle of wire elements as well as the forward or axialtravel thereof.

Referring to Figure 2, 41 are the end members of a frame in which arerotatably mounted a plurality of flyers 49, each of which is providedwith a floating carriage in which a spool 5| of stranded wire or wire tobe laid up in the form of rope or strands, as the case may be, isarranged.

From each of the spools the wire or strand is withdrawn, being led belowa grooved pulley 52 and about the grooved pulley 53, thence over thepulley 54, which is also grooved, and finally over the pulley 55 throughthe hollow spindle 56 which is journalled in one of the end members 41,a corresponding spindle 51 being provided at the opposite end of thefiyer journalled in a bearing in the other member 41.

To the last-mentioned spindle there is keyed a spur'wheel 58 engaging atoothed wheel 59 engaging a pinion on the shaft 45 and by the rotationof the toothed wheel in question each of the flyers is rotated in adirection giving a backtwist to the individual wires or strands.

The material forming the core of the rope, which may be strandedvegetable fibre, is twisted by the operation of the fiyer 60 in which isfioatingly arranged the cradle 6| forming a support for a spool 62 ofthe core material. This flyer is provided with stub shafts 63 and 64engaged in bearings 65, 66 and one of the stub shafts is furnished witha sprocket 61 in driving connection with a sprocket 68 mounted upon theshaft 45 which is driven by the motor 69.

The core material is drawn off the spool and led below the groovedpulley 10 about the pulley 1 I, over the pulley 12, then over the pulleyI3 and thence through the hollow trunnion or stub shaft 63.

At this point the general operation of the machine may be describedbefore considering in detail the construction of the guide pulley IS.

The core material, which is twisted by the operation of the flyer 60,and its associated parts, and the individual strands or wires drawn fromthe several spools 54 mounted in the flyers 5|, by which a backtwist isimparted to them, are taken through the laying plate 44 and through thedie 43 as a bundle, over the guide pulley 42, thence along the flyershown in Figure 1, over the guide pulley I9, through the hollow spindle2| and to the drum 34 mounted in the winding mechanism.

The flyer shown in Figure 1, being maintained in rotation, will causethe bundle of strands or wires to be given a double twist in its passagefrom the die 43 to the point at which it passes to the bundle of strandsor wires, as the case may be, the guide pulley I9 is arranged to permitnot only a free motion of the bundle in an axial direction but alsosubstantially free rotational motion of the bundle. I

To this end the guide pulleys l9 and 42 are each provided with aplurality of anti-friction bodies adapted to permit such rotationalmotion. Certain arrangements of these anti-friction bodies areillustrated by way of example in Figures 3 to 6.

In Figures 3 to 5 the anti-friction bodies are rollers, of which, in thecase of the construction illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, there areprovided three sets pivotally mounted in transverse members 14connecting the side members 15 of the pulley, I6 representing thespindle of a roller 11 forming the base of the groove in which thebundle of wires or strands will be guided, while 18 and 19 represent thespindles of the rollers 80, 8| forming the side walls of the groove, therollers forming the base of the groove alter.- nating with rollersforming the side guides oi; members, as may be seen from Figure 3.

In the case of the construction shown in Figure tionship and theirsurfaces form in effect-the side walls and also the base of the groovein which the bundle of wires runs.

In the case of the construction shown in Figure 6, in the transversemembers 84 connecting the side members 85 and arranged at suitablyspaced intervals adjacent to the periphery thereof there are providedraces, 86, 81, 88 accommodating a plurality of balls 89, 90, 9] whichprovide a substantially frictionless support, generally as do therollers in the constructions illustrated in Figures 3 to 5, for thebundle of wires indicated by the reference 92, thus permitting thebundle as it is drawn forward to rotate about its axis.

Having now described my invention, claim as new and desire to secure byPatent is:---

1. A machine for twisting together a plurality of wire elements to formropes or strands comprising a fiyer adapted to rotate about alongitudinal axis, winding mechanism for the twisted elements fioatinglyarranged in the flyer, means for rotating the flyer, guiding means onthe flyer and rotatable therewith adapted to direct the bundle ofelements to be spun from the axis toward the periphery of the flyer andadjacent to the end of the flyer remote from that at which the saidguiding means is arranged further guiding means adapted to cause theelements as a bundle to travel lengthwise of the flyer and to .what ILetters be returned towards the axis thereof and thence to the windingmechanism, said guiding means including a, carrier and a plurality ofbodies mounted on the carrier to rotate about axes parallel with theaxis of the bundle in order to permit substantially free twisting motionof the bundle throughout its travel from the first-mentioned guidingmeans to -the point at which it is returned to the axis of the flyer.

2. A machine for twisting together a plurality of wire elements to formropes or strands comprising a flyer adapted to rotate about alongitudinal axis, winding mechanism for the twisted elements floatinglyarranged in the flyer, means for rotating the flyer, guiding means onthe flyer and rotatable therewith adapted to direct the bundle ofelements to be spun from the axis toward the periphery of the flyer andadjacent to the end of the flyer remote from that at which the saidguiding means is arranged a pulley of a diameter equal to the distancebetween the axis of rotation of the flyer and the farthest point fromthe said axis reached by the bundle of wires in its passage from one endto the opposite end of the flyer and a plurality of sets of rollingbodies arranged adjacent to the periphery of the pulley adapted torotate therewith and, in addition, to rotate about axes at right-anglesto the axis of rotation of the pulley.

3. A machine for twisting together a pluraljacent to the end of theflyer remote from that at which the said guiding means is arranged apulley of a diameter equal to the distance betweeri the axis of rotationof the flyer and the farthest point from the said axis reached by thebundle of wires in its passage from one end to the opposite end of theflyer, said pulley consisting of two discs forming side members, bridgepieces connecting the discs arranged at intervals adjacent to theperiphery thereof and a plurality of rollers mounted in said bridgepieces to rotate about axes atright-angles to the axis of rotation ofthe pulley and providing in effect a groove in which the bundle of wireswill be guided.

4. A machine for twisting together a plurality of wire elements to formropes or strands comprising a flyer adapted to rotate about alongitudinal axis, winding mechanism for the twisted elements floatinglyarranged in the flyer, means for rotating the flyer, guiding means onthe flyer and rotatable therewith adapted to direct the bundle ofelements to be spun from the axis toward the periphery of the flyer andadjacent to the end of the flyer remote from that at which the saidguiding means is arranged further guiding means adapted to cause theelements as a bundle to travel lengthwise of the flyer and to bereturned towards the axis thereof and thence to the winding mechanism,said guiding means including a carrier and a plurality of bodies mountedon the carrier to rotate about axes parallel with the axis .of thebundle in order to permit substantially free twisting motion of thebundle throughout its travel from the first-mentioned guiding means tothe point at which it is returned to the axis of the flyer.

5. A machine for twisting together a plurality of wire elements to formropes or strands comprising a flyer adapted to rotate about alongitudinal axis, winding mechanism for the twisted elements fioatinglyarranged in the flyer, means for rotating the flyer, guiding means onthe flyer and rotatable therewith adapted to direct the bundle ofelements to be spun from the axis toward the periphery of the flyer andadjacent to the end of the flyer remote from that at which the saidguiding means is arranged apulley of a diameter'equal to the distancebetween the axis of rotation of the flyer and the farthest point fromthe said axis reached 'by the bundle of wires in" its passage from oneend to the opposite end of the flyer and a plurality of sets of rollingbodies arranged adjacent to the pe-' means comprising a plurality ofrollers mounted n to of longitudinal axis winding mechanism for the theportion of the bundle of elements with. which twisted elementsfloatingly arrangedin the flyer, they are in Contact and adjacent to themeans for rotating the flyer, guiding means on of the flyer remote fromthat at which the Said the flyer and rotatable therewith adapted to didng means is arrang d D y 0f 8/ a eter,

rect the bundle of elements to be spun from the equal to the distancebetween the axis of rotaaxis toward the periphery of the flyer andadtion of the flyer nd he farthest 9 1m} from elements floatinglyarranged in the flyer, means for rotating the fiyer, pulley on the flyerand rotatable therewith adapted to direct the bundle of elements to bespun from the axis'toward the periphery of the flyer, said pulleyconsisting of side members, bridge pieces connecting the said membersarranged at intervals adjacent to the periphery thereof and rollingbodies mounted on the bridge pieces and adapted to rotate about axes atright-angles to the axis of rotation of the pulley, and adjacent to theend of the fiyer remote from that at which the said guiding means isarranged a pulley of a diameter equal to the distance between the axisof rotation of the flyer and the farthest point from the said axisreached by the bundle of wires in its passage from one end to theopposite end of the flyer and a plurality of sets of rolling bodiesarranged adjacent to the periphery of the pulley adapted to rotatetherewith and, In addition,

to rotate about axes at right-angles to the axis of rotation of thepulley.

8. A machine for twisting together a plurality of wire elements to formropes or strands comprising a flyer adapted to rotate about alongitudinal axis, winding mechanism for the twisted elements floatinglyarranged in the flyer, means for rotating the flyer, a pulley on thefiyer and rotatable therewith adapted to direct the bundle of elementsto be spun from the axis toward the periphery of the flyer, said pulleyconsisting of side members, bridge pieces connecting the side membersarranged at intervals adjacent to the periphery thereof, rolling bodiesmounted on the bridge pieces and adapted to rotate about axes atright-angles to the axis of rotation of the pulley and adjacent to theend of the flyer remote from that at which the said pulley is arrangeda. further pulley of a diameter equal to the distance between the axisof rotation of the flyer and the farthest point from the said axisreached by the bundle of wires in its passage from one end to theopposite end of the flyer, said further pulley consisting of two discsforming side members, bridge pieces connecting the discs arranged atintervals adjacent to the periphery thereof and a plurality of rollersmounted in said bridge pieces to rotate about axes at right-angles tothe axis of rotation of the said pulley and providing in effect a groovein t which the bundle of wires will be guided.

- ANTON KRAFT.

